The former Brooklyn Nets guard will make his highly anticipated debut for the 76ers against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So, after all of the hype and fanfare surrounding his move, James Harden will make his debut for the 76ers on Friday. His bow will be in Minnesota against the Timberwolves. He missed the All-Star Game due to a left hamstring injury and had to be replaced by Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen. Harden joined the Sixers via trade on Feb 10, along with Paul Millsap, in exchange for Ben Simmons. Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, also went as part of the deal
In a season of ups and downs for the Brooklyn Nets, Harden managed to produce good numbers. He played mainly as the point guard due to the absence of Kyrie Irving and was effective in patches. The three-time scoring champion is averaging 22.5 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds per game. He is joining a 76ers team that has a 35-23 record and currently sit third in the eastern conference.
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What To Expect from James Harden?
The Sixers are expected to ease him into proceedings. He could be limited to around 30 minutes on his debut and his minutes could be ramped up in the coming days. Coach Doc Rivers will view this as an adequate opportunity to build an instant chemistry between Harden and Joel Embiid.
The Sixers will know that incorporating such a key piece into the team so late into the season will take time. The eastern conference is essentially packed with high quality talent this year. This 76ers team is capable of going all the way and have aspirations to do so. With Harden, they have a second All-Star with hunger and pedigree. The next few months will be vital.
